It doesn't happen often, or more likely ever, that the Hillsboro City Council can tackle medical marijuana, liquor and strip clubs in one hour of bracing local governance.

Preceded by a charming fifth- and sixth-grade band performance Tuesday night, the council moved deftly from a medical marijuana facilities ban to an item it had pulled from the consent agenda for special consideration: a liquor license renewal for Gems, the city’s only strip club.

The vote on medical marijuana was something of a foregone conclusion. Hillsboro Mayor Jerry Willey a few weeks ago requested that the council take up a possible one-year ban, and Councilor Megan Braze was the sole dissenter at the first reading.

At the previous meeting, Willey explained that the council only has one opportunity to get the zoning for the facilities right. Though the state already has some regulations in place, the city is considering more tailored rules.

"With this, just like all vices we Americans enjoy, there’s a dark side," Willey said.

On Tuesday, the council directed staff to move forward with zoning regulations for the facilities, noting the ban will last only as long as that process takes. So it could last a year, or it could last six weeks, council President Aron Carleson said.

For a contentious issue, it was a cordial hearing.

Next up was something of a surprise vote on a liquor license application from Gems, a strip club on Southeast Tualatin Valley Highway. The council had the item pulled from the consent agenda, where non-controversial issues and housekeeping items are typically approved in one motion.

Among a list of restaurants seeking liquor license approval or renewal, Gems was singled out for a special consideration. To be clear, the council vote amounts to something of a recommendation.

The Oregon Liquor Control Commission makes the final decision on liquor permits, but it invites local governments to submit any concerns. The City Council didn’t raise any issues publicly, and all establishments that come before council have already been vetted by the police department and no objections have been filed.

In a 3-2 vote that saw Carleson and councilors Megan Braze and Steve Callaway vote against a license for the strip club, no comment or explanation was offered.

Afterward, however, Carleson explained her vote in an interview.

It's the only voice the council has to object to "business that in my perception can be very harmful," Carleson said.